Things to know:
Anti-Trump voters include mostly Democrats, some Independents, and according to record, even some Libertarians and of course, the John McCain Republicans who simply couldn’t stomach voting for Trump—they’re all asking the same question, “How did this happen?”
But first, crawl out of whatever corner you’re crouched in, shake off the despair, stand up, breathe and then be willing to learn from some of the reasons this unfathomable election happened and where to go from here.
The first, and in my view, most critical piece of information to understand is how social media completely outpaced and dislocated traditional media and played the biggest role.
Most of the social media information bubble centered around alt-right ideology and its laser focused strategy to dominate and shape public opinion in this election. It was relentless. And it bumped up against the opposition’s more passive message of, “why an American couldn’t possibly vote for Trump” but a lot of America did vote for him, and through a sustained rage against liberals on social media many voters endured, ignored, or dismissed every lewd display Trump threw out and then some. The mega success of the right-wing social media fury against Democratic messaging was like a Steven Spielberg blockbuster and a first-year undergrad film production.
And this well-orchestrated alt-right social media tactic began the second Trump lost to Biden and it never let up.
The Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol unfolded in real-time and even though many of the perpetrators of that day paid a hefty price for their insurrection, the rage against their arrests and the “big steal” slowly festered in corners across the country—but the delivery of the rage changed, it got savvy, used palatable, even skilled “influencers” to deliver their message of “why America should rage against liberals” to the public at large and people were being recruited.
Alt-right social media became raw entertainment filled with lies—an hourly micro-dosing of intense, inciteful, outrageous, sexed up and highly effective rubbish. But it worked. Trump’s personal “toggle king” Elon Musk, was his most valuable player in the disinformation game garnering much of the male vote through this tactic.
A prediction for the alt-right’s next winning plan is simple.
In the coming days following Trump’s inauguration—be on the look-out for the alt-right to use the same social media saturation strategy they used in their rage machine but with a new look—their next phase will not include frenzied wrath but rather sophisticated and incessant presentations to the masses of how the new Trump administration is working perfectly and is the “ideal” for America and for every country—even when it will be nothing of the sort.
Repeat a lie enough and perception becomes reality.
This is how the alt-right has and will continue to claim the façade of economic and personal satisfaction in America in order to keep near total power—a page straight out of Putin’s playbook.
Things to do
In the political game, Democrats must recruit tech savvy social media strategists who know how to effectively play a better game via social media against the alt-right. Dems need devoted tech champions who have studied and know the alt-right calculations and tactics and can quickly checkmate them at every move. It will take skill and passion and Democrats have both.
Democrats must nominate, finance and elect younger political candidates.
Enough of the Bidens, the Clintons and the long-established DNC camp.
They are good people and they were exceptionally good leaders but we must move forward, if we don’t, long-standing democratic tenets that work on behalf of hard-working Americans and for the most vulnerable citizens in our country will fail and all political idealism will be lost.
Social media can both inform and perform but Dems have to do it better than the alt-right.
Democrats can employ social media more effectively as what was just witnessed by the right-wing extremists because Democrats have a better message—but they had poor execution of it in this election.
Finally, for now, every anti-Trump voter can use the most immediate and personal power they have.
Stop purchasing shit from organizations and corporations that support alt-right policy and Trumpism.
Stop buying anything that backs right-wing extremism. Do the homework.
Visit the website Progressive Shopper and find out in a few steps where a company stands politically. If you can’t find something there, keep researching. Political contributions and candidate support is a matter of public record.
This may mean some inconvenience. Waiting a few days longer for something to be delivered but most purchases from small businesses and Democratic friendly corporations do NOT end up being more expensive. It may also mean doing some Google searches about a corporation or a CEO’s political contributions to which candidate before buying something from a grocery store or an online shop. It’s easily done with minimal research.
And…maybe re-think Christmas this year. Send a message after this absurd and incomprehensible election. Simply stop feeding right-wing corporate machines this holiday.
Christmas “light” anyone?
